I'm thinking the main point of this Standing Up by Sitting Down post at the Office of Intellectual Freedom Blog sums up the bulk of what I have learned about my role in defending the First Amendment.
So, the blog post details a library subpoena situation that for all intents an purposes, seems fairly mundane, some would say, boring. The library director's defense of civil liberties was to sit down and wait. For me, the point mirrors the equally opposing forces of the erosion of intellectual freedom: ease, speed and convenience.
The work we've been discussing, the material we cover and the articles we find have shown how simple it is as a society, and even individuals to casually give up privacy rights. We have to allow Facebook the right to our material if we want to use Facebook, and why wouldn't we want to do that?
We give our identifying information to those who ask at registration for so many things, without protest, because protest is futile, but worse, it takes so long.
What I like about this simple blog post about a library director "Standing Up by Sitting Down" is that it clarifies the intention with which we have to work. She could have quite easily accepted the subpoena at face value without a judge's signature and on a day-to-day basis, I'm guessing she has enough work to do to warrant her doing just that. She doesn't have time to sit around the Prosecutor's office. But she has to. Our privacy is worth that, every time, in every case.
Our defense of Intellectual Freedom will take this level of intentional commitment to work against the powerful, if slow and steady, erosion of these rights by convenient technologies. In other words, we'll spend a lot of time doing what feels like "nothing" to preserve the values of intellectual freedom. We'll be putting on the brakes for disclosing information and saying "no" or "hold on" where everyone else doesn't even bother to say "yes," but hands over what is asked of them because our technology has made it that easy.
If "nothing" serves to remind outside forces that librarians are synonymous with the concept of Intellectual Freedom then perhaps that is something. If by doing "nothing" we remind people about the sanctity and value collectively and as individuals of Intellectual Freedom and privacy, I'm quite sure that is something big, after all.
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Its good to see that someone understood their policies and followed them. Her willingness to follow procedure will benefit everyone. The police will know that things need to be done properly and the public will know that the library will not violate their privacy without due cause and court orders. Its good to hear something positive.
ReplyDeleteStanding strong and upholding the library principles and policies makes what we do in a league of its own. Articles like this should be circulated among the staff to remind them what to stand up for, and to educate others on the foundations of our profession. We quietly stand up for the country's values and are caretakers of the rights of the patrons. Because of the stereotype of librarians we tend to be overlooked and media typically depicts us as something we are not.
ReplyDeleteGreat example of defending intellectual freedom rights in libraries! It is unfortunate that much of this work requires saying "no" to people who want information to which they have no right. This story shows how unpleasant and inconvenient standing up for our rights can be. Ultimately, it is worth the trouble because we cannot trust others to do this work for us. Examples like this one help give us the courage to stand our ground in the face of sometimes dogged opposition. I also second Sue's comment about librarian stereotypes, which are unflattering at best and also grossly misrepresent the profession.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this excellent example of action (or "inaction" in this case) needed when we are faced with a subpoena. It also clarified something about subpoenas for me. I think most of the time we receive them, there won't be the urgency that is implied by their existence and presentation to us. This is such a great example of that.
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